Do possums eat the chickens or the eggs or both?

[chickengeorgeto]

Drop the trap in a barrel of water, works every time.

You're a better man than me Charley Brown. I wouldn't touch a live trap with a skunk in it with the proverbial 10 foot pole.

 

[Millieflower]

Lost one of my americauna pullets last night & caught a possum tonite. The pullet was missing her head.

 

[maralpz2006]

i found a small or baby possum on my chicken coop,what do you think i should ,my chicken coop have wire around ,i really dont know how did a possum got in,

 

[Heidisgran]

i found a small or baby possum on my chicken coop,what do you think i should ,my chicken coop have wire around ,i really dont know how did a possum got in,

they eat chickens....and unlike a raccoon...they don't kill them first

 

[feather13]

Just to echo everyone else (and just posted a new thread on the topic): possums will kill your birds. I was heartsick this morning to see bits and pieces of my leghorn strewn all around the backyard. It makes me feel ill that she wasn't killed first because she was torn apart in such a gruesome way and that possum really traveled all over the yard dropping pieces of her. I noticed a baby possum in the coop last night. I got rid of it, but as other posters have written, where there's one, there are many. Our local ASPCA has live traps they will loan folks for free and then cart away the animal the next day. I'd set up a trap over the course of a week and try to catch all of them because they'll just keep coming back. I bait the traps with a can of tuna. Or you could always kill them if it's legal in your area (and you have the stomach for it). But if you've seen a possum in your neighborhood, chances are they will find your birds eventually.

 

[Heidisgran]

Just to echo everyone else (and just posted a new thread on the topic): possums will kill your birds. I was heartsick this morning to see bits and pieces of my leghorn strewn all around the backyard. It makes me feel ill that she wasn't killed first because she was torn apart in such a gruesome way and that possum really traveled all over the yard dropping pieces of her. I noticed a baby possum in the coop last night. I got rid of it, but as other posters have written, where there's one, there are many. Our local ASPCA has live traps they will loan folks for free and then cart away the animal the next day. I'd set up a trap over the course of a week and try to catch all of them because they'll just keep coming back. I bait the traps with a can of tuna. Or you could always kill them if it's legal in your area (and you have the stomach for it). But if you've seen a possum in your neighborhood, chances are they will find your birds eventually.

sorry for you loss...it's only been a few days since I found my 5 month olds remains...raccoon in this case...it hurts so bad!

 

[Laura Bonilla]

I'm no sure what you mean by invasive species. Invasive to your state? Possums have been here a very long time. They are the ONLY marsupial on this continent suggesting they got separated from other marsupials living in Australia etc. Marsupials are the animals whose young develop in their pouch like kangaroos. They are not related to rats and they do not carry rabies as their body temperature is too high to support rabies. They are one of the more interesting animals around. Lots of people kill them mostly because they are afraid of them--an unfortunate human tendancy.

Thanks for this - totally agree with you... very unfortunate to not appreciate wildlife and protect it - Here in California is illegal to kill opossums. Yes, they are very interesting and actually adorable. I feed feral cats and have a male opossum who comes daily too. The other night he brought a girl with him. It was really cool to see that interaction. They come and eat of the cat food. I don't mind. I actually enjoy seeing them - I have a flock and my chickens ARE my babies but they are protected... their area is a forte and is locked at night... and possums are well fed with the cat food anyway.

wish some of you learn and appreciated them a bit more.

 

[subhanalah]

The problem with killing off predators in your area is that it just creates a vacuum for another predator to move in. Spaying and neutering feral cats in the area will actually keep the cat and other predator populations down in your area, because each territory can only support so many predators.

You have to think of the effects of your actions, and not just the "quick fix" because as with the proverbial bubble gum in a dam, it just leaves room for a bigger problem down the line.

 

[Lisa Glasgow]

Yesterday it was a only warm in the sunshine, and all my hens where on the back porch asleep... i about feel over when i looked out and saw a possum sitting in the sun right next to them... it was about half grown and i wasn't sure of its plan just yet.... but we killed it... its sad to kill anything that we aren't going to use... but it had to be done..

 

[Attila the Hen]

Well I posted my comments in 2011. I hate to tempt fate but all this time later I still have not had a problem with possums. I didn't leave cat food out after I saw one on the deck the first time. My coop has hardwire cloth all around it and I close the door at night. I also have a barking beagle who takes his job seriously. Not certain but the only predators I have had is a black snake that got a chick a couple years ago and a dog or coyote got a hen. I keep the whole property closed up now.
A friend of mine who lives in the area, with many more chickens than me, has only lost a bird to a hawk. She too has dogs and cats.